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Clients tell me all the time they do not have a decorating style. They just buy what they like, but when I go into a home I can usually pick out someone’s style within a few minutes. That doesn’t mean that every single piece of furniture or accessory fits a particular category. It means that most people tend to gravitate towards a particular style. In today’s world with blended families and the need to be conscious about our environment, we end up with items that just don’t seem to connect. That’s okay. The attitude about what is correct no longer applies and as long as your furnishings are harmoniously blended, your home will look great. Here are some tips for blending different styles: Function is always first – always! If the room does not function for you, you won’t be happy no matter how beautiful it is. Decide first how you will use the room. Evaluate what you own and select your dominant style. If you do not know what your dominant style is, look in your closet. Most people love decorating in the same way they dress. Do you dress in traditional tailored clothing or are you a casual jeans person? Your dominant style should be at least 60% of the space. Try to mix only two styles in a room, but if you mix three, the third should not make up more than 10-20% of the space. Look for items that will tie the room together like repeated colors, shapes, metals and patterns. The designers at Design Alliance in Vista redecorated the reception area pictured below using cohesive elements: Gold Metal (sunburst mirror, lamp and accent table); Color (pillows, flowers and wall grouping); Shapes (square and rectangular pillows and wall grouping). Edit “filler” pieces that you do not like and serve no purpose. If an item does not make you feel happy, donate it. Donating your grandmother’s chair does not mean you hate your grandmother, it means the item does not work for your home. Every person has a style. What you love is “your style.” Don’t be afraid to own it. If you want to transform your home from “Ordinary to Extraordinary” using what you already own, consider becoming a client of Élan...

Textbooks, uniforms, lunch bags to buy, keeping up with sports and school activities – oh my! Use these five feng shui tips to keep calm and survive back to school chaos. 1. Set a specific time for homework and arrange a “quiet place” with no TV, computers, music, cell phones or distractions to keep children focused on doing their homework. Preferably, each child should have his/her own work area with a desk or table, chair and lamp. Properly light the space – bright lighting may cause headaches, while dim lighting may result in eye fatigue. When children enter this “quiet place” they will be able to concentrate on their homework. 2. Schedule time to use cell phones and computers. When children spend too much time on recreational technology, they are too wiped out for homework and too hyped up for bed. 3. Ensure your child gets a good night’s rest and keep the computer or TV out of their room. Easy access to a TV or computer will encourage children to stay up late watching programs and playing games. If there is a TV in their room, cover it at night with a towel or blanket. Close the curtains. Children need consistency, so be sure to set a specific bed time. 4. Pure and organic essential oils are known to have physiological and psychological effects. Rescue workers carry peppermint to help them stay alert and motivated when working long hours after a disaster. Diffusing peppermint in a child’s work area will help with concentration. Chamomile or lavender have relaxing and soothing effects and is good for restless children. Make sure you buy therapeutic-grade essential oil. 5. Place family photos in your child’s bedroom to give them a sense of security and a feeling of being loved. These five feng shui tips will put your child on the right track for the school year, and you will enjoy your sense of calm. If you want to transform your home from “Ordinary to Extraordinary” using what you already own, consider becoming a client of Élan...

Has your youngest child graduated college and left your nest for good? Has life left you with some unexpected plot twists and you are on your own again not needing all the space in a larger home? Do you like your home but not the cost of the upkeep, or you want to retire and just not worry about the responsibilities that accompany home ownership? These are some of the primary reasons people choose to downsize. But in all the years you’ve lived in your home you have accumulated lots of furniture – and the space of your new place may not accommodate it all. That doesn’t mean you have to sell everything. Here are some ideas on how you can use as much of your furnishings as the space dictates and perhaps simply re-present the arrangements to create your sense of familiarity and give your smaller space an open, warm and comfortable feeling. (1) Create a cozy place for conversation by placing a loveseat or small sofa across from two club chairs. Use of glass, metals, acrylics and gilt pieces can open up the room. (2) Some apartments do not let you paint the walls, but if you own a condo you can be more adventurous. While neutral colors will make the room appear bigger, you can achieve the same effect with darker walls and lighter furnishings. (3) Chairs and tables with longer legs will make the room feel less “heavy” but do keep one piece that sits closer to the floor so your room will feel grounded and the furniture will not look like it wants to “walk away.” (4) Go vertical. Bookcases will add height to a room and help eliminate clutter. (5) Don’t be afraid of using large art or wall hangings. Keep your walls visually interesting. Hanging mirrors as wall art in small spaces can give the illusion of having more space. (6) Don’t hang on to what you’ve got “just in case….” Once you have made the commitment to scale down, get rid of old furniture, accessories or artwork you no longer need. Letting it go will make you feel free and less overwhelmed. If you want to transform your smaller home from “Ordinary to Extraordinary” using what you already own, consider becoming a client of Élan...

A Crafty Solution for an Environmental Problem California and Colorado, along with many other Western states have experienced an unprecedented number of forest fires over the last several years. Dry weather caused by unusually warm temperatures and abnormally low precipitation have lured the insect population and in the case of pine trees, bark beetle infestations have already destroyed hundreds of thousands of trees in the forests. From Canada to Mexico millions of acres of trees have been killed by this unstoppable bug with the Rocky Mountain area being hit the hardest. When a tree dies in the forest, it becomes tinder. It is nothing more than kindling wood for the next fire. Some eco-conscious furniture craftsmen are finding ways to salvage the damaged wood from trees once infested with beetles by making them into furniture, cabinetry and wood paneling. By harvesting these pine trees within a season after the tree dies, the wood is still useable. The beetles carry a fungus that stains the wood a bluish gray, so from an aesthetic view the wood takes on interesting shading, and sometimes the wood can even look totally blue. The wood is not harmful because the beetles either die or move on before the trees are cut down. The trees must not sit too long after being killed or they can lose their structural integrity. Builders are reluctant to use beetle kill pine in framing a house or commercial building. Today this significant environmental problem is being turned into a chic interior design trend. The result is a rustic look that can cross over to both traditional and contemporary decor. Utilizing the wood from beetle-killed pine trees for furniture allows for a natural regeneration of our forests. Through use of beetle-killed pine, no additional “live” trees are cut down for furniture production. When a forest has been cleaned of dead undergrowth, the natural growing cycle has the ability to take place once again creating a bio-diverse environment thereby reducing the effects of naturally occurring forest fires. It is a win-win for everyone. If you want to transform your home from ordinary to extraordinary using what you already own, consider becoming a client of Élan...

Don’t Know Much About History, Don’t Know Much Biology… But Geometry – We Understand! Squares, circles, triangles, zigzags and most definitely chevron stripes! Use of geometric patterns in interior design is one of the key trends for 2013-2014. These patterns are easily incorporated in the design of any room in your home with bold hues and statement designs. This year chevron stripes will be one of the most utilized geometric patterns. Ideal as wallpaper, chevrons will also be incorporated into area rugs and hardwood flooring. When utilizing geometric prints in your interior décor, it is essential to maintain a balance between bold hues and subdued shades, as well as being mindful of prints that are similar to one another making them easier to mix. If you have a large room with light-colored walls, you might choose a bolder geometric wallpaper print for one wall, or in an area rug. If your room is smaller and not brightly lit, you might consider limiting use of geometrics to small prints in earthier shades. There are subtler ways to embrace this trend and still enliven your room by using small geometric patterns in chairs, area rugs, or accent pillows. If you have solid-colored chairs, you could use a geometric pattern in a sofa. Use of geometric prints can also help enhance bedroom décor or make a statement that reflects personality. Depending on the room size, geometric accents may be used in pillows, window treatments or area rugs for smaller rooms; and for larger rooms, a coordination of small, compatible geometric prints may be used throughout – in bedding, wall covering, window treatments and accessories. If using more than one geometric print in room décor, you want to make certain that the patterns are compatible and that the room appears open, as illustrated in the picture below. When determining the use of multiple prints, the most important thing to consider is that the print(s) should not overpower the room. If you want to transform your home from ordinary to extraordinary using what you already own, consider becoming a client of Élan...